This invention relates to an intubation device, and more particularly to a fiberoptic stylet which facilitates the placement of an endotracheal tube within the trachea.
During surgery and other medical procedures it is often necessary to insert an endotracheal tube (ET) into the trachea of a patient for the purposes of ventilation assistance, or otherwise. It is sometimes necessary, such as in emergency situations, to position the endotracheal tube rapidly. Failure to properly position the tube, or failure to insert the tube sufficiently quickly, can result in medical complications or even death.
Intubation generally involves placement of an endotracheal tube through a patient's larynx and into the trachea. To do so it is necessary to displace the epiglottis which usually spans the glottic opening into the larynx. Skill and expertise are required to properly intubate a patient. The intubation procedure is even more difficult in situations where, due to a medical condition or anatomical abnormality, it is difficult to visualize the glottis of the patient.
Devices have thus been developed to enable physicians to visualize the pharyngeal area and larynx of a patient during placement of an ET tube. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,819 discloses a fiberoptic stylet that accommodates an ET tube and displays images on an associated screen. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,222 discloses a device that enables an ET tube to be inserted through the nasal pharynx while viewing the anatomy of the patient. Other devices that may assist a physician to insert an ET tube while viewing a patient's anatomy are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,669,098; 4,337,761; 4,527,553; and 5,095,888.
Despite the existence of such devices there remains a need for a device which facilitates insertion of an endotracheal tube while viewing a patient's anatomy to ensure proper positioning of the ET tube under both elective and emergency procedures.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a device that facilitates the placement of an endotracheal tube within the trachea of a patient while viewing a patient's anatomy. Another object of the invention is to provide such a device having a distal end that is able to be articulated in order to control the positioning of an endotracheal tube. A further object of the invention is to provide such a device that includes a reusable fiberoptic package readily disassembled to facilitate both intubation and servicing of its components. It is also an object of the invention to provide an economical, easy to use device for facilitating placement of an endotracheal tube. Other objects of the invention will be apparent upon reading the disclosure which follows.